Can India Put an End to Identity Politics?

Introduction

Indian politics have long been driven and riven by appeals to caste, religion, ethnicity and gender. The prime minister leads a Hindu nationalist party and has been accused of stoking hatred and violence against Muslims. But last week, the Indian Supreme Court ruled that political appeals on the basis of religion, caste, community or language, violate the Indian Constitution’s guarantee of fundamentally secular elections. Elections could be voided if the rule is violated.

But will the ruling create greater equality or undermine Indian democracy?